


The Defense Doesn't Always Rest

by LokiNeedsHugs1031



Series: Barisi Ficlets [7]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Barba is back!, Bisexual Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr., Bisexual Rafael Barba, Crying, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Domestic Rafael/Carisi, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s22e04 Sightless in a Savage Land, Established Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr., Established Relationship, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt, Hurt Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr., Hurt/Comfort, Husbands, Inspired by Law & Order: SVU, Kissing It Better, Lawyer Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr., Lawyer Husbands, M/M, Men Crying, Mild Hurt/Comfort, POV Rafael Barba, Pre-Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr., supportive Rafael
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:49:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27891817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LokiNeedsHugs1031/pseuds/LokiNeedsHugs1031
Summary: Rafael Barba is back, but as a defense attorney. How will his husband Sonny react when the verdict is read?
Relationships: Rafael Barba & Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr., Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Series: Barisi Ficlets [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1845442
Comments: 11
Kudos: 55





	The Defense Doesn't Always Rest

**Author's Note:**

> Who else is freaking out that Barba is back?! And that they are being pitted against each other?! OMG THE FANFIC THAT WILL BE CREATED! Well, since we gotta wait until the 7th of January I wrote this! I hope you like!

Rafael hung up his beige colored coat, taking note of the silence of the apartment. After court it was more than noticeable that his husband slipped away after the verdict. Every part of his very being made him want to pull Sonny aside outside the courtroom doors but he knew better. Besides Sonny completely disappeared.

He’d chatted with Olivia, finding it comforting and familiar to speak to her at the courthouse again, as well as the new blood, the new chief was a breath of fresh air and Kat whom he liked immediately despite the standoffish nature given his new status. It was the first time he’d been on the other side of the spectrum. It was also the first time where he felt like the enemy, even in the eyes of the man that he loved. His friends were still his friends, there was no doubt there, Olivia had always been objective.

But none of that mattered.

He hoped that Sonny would understand all of this, that he would trust him when he believed his client was innocent.

He loosened his tie listening for any kind of sound, he left his wing-tipped shoes at the front door and went into the darkness of their home.

He knew Sonny was home, that much was sure by the presence of his briefcase tossed by the door.

He shrugged off his suit-jacket as he entered the bedroom just as dark as the rest of the home.

And there his husband was, curled up on the bed with a pillow over his head. He wasn’t asleep because he was clutching it far too tightly. He was still clad in his dress clothes, shoes by the bed and almost pulled into a defensive ball.

Rafael carefully took a seat on the edge of the bed, just enough to make his presence known. “Honey…” he whispered, taking a chance and placing a hand over Sonny’s white-clenched knuckles.

“Don’t wanna talk.” Sonny muttered. “About any of it.”

“We should always be able to talk,” Rafael countered with a sigh, “Work or not.”

“Work? I made an idiot of myself…” Sonny growled, muffled and muted beneath the plush barrier. It was frightening how much of a little kid he sounded like.

“You absolutely did not,” Rafael huffed, reaching out and pressing his palm into Sonny’s side but was met with a flinch.

“I did too,” Sonny snapped, “Don’t patronize me. It was six years ago all over again. Me just bein’ the idiot shadowing you and play-acting like I’m an actual lawyer. You wiped the floor with me.” It was at this point he tossed the pillow aside and shimmied to the other side of the bed to scoot off of it and flee the situation. “Harvard,” he pointed at Rafael, “Fordham,” he slapped his own chest, “Night and day, right?”

“Sonny, hold on, you’re being ridiculous!” Rafael began but was silenced by the slamming of the bathroom door. That didn’t stop his husband though, he stood outside of the door, his heart hurting, he knew Sonny was just upset. He tried to keep that in mind. They had spoken about this as they both prepared for their case. He was prepared for this. Or at least he thought he was.

Turns out neither of them were.

“Ridiculous huh?” Sonny shouted from the other side of the door, “J-Just leave me alone, huh?”

When Rafael could hear him close to tears, he clenched his jaw, he knew when to back off and this was a test, “I’m not leaving you when you’re this upset. Open up. Please?”

“Raf, please!” Sonny cried, and it sounded grated and controlled and failing. “I-I can’t have you lookin’ at me right now.”

“Well, can you look at _me_?” he offered, softly tapping on the door, “Mi sol…” He honestly didn’t know what to say. He did his job, Sonny did _his_ job, and yeah, they had been at odds. He had been worried about what that would mean after the verdict was read. And when he saw the steely look on his husband’s face when the verdict read ‘not guilty’ he was proud of himself for a job well done but scared Sonny would hate him for it. There was really no in between, there couldn’t be and he hated it.

There weren’t any words after that, but he could hear Sonny struggling to not cry, the shower turned on which was all but a red flag that he was indeed crying. A white noise to cover the fact that he was indeed that upset. “Baby,” he tried again, “I’m gonna order us some dinner. I’ll give you your space, alright? I’ll be here. I promise. When you want to talk I’ll be here. I’m not going anywhere.”

No answer.

He decided maybe Sonny did need some time so he went back to the bedroom and changed into more comfortable clothes, fixed himself a stiff drink from the kitchen, downing it quickly and sat down in their usually warm and comfortable living room.

Tonight, he felt more alone than he’d been since they’d gotten together over three years ago. He sunk down onto the couch, stretching out, crossing both arms over his eyes feeling defeated. His face felt cold without his ‘quarantine’ beard as his husband had dubbed it and for the first time all day his eyes began to burn. All those years ago he’d be celebrating with a drink not trying to drowned out the thoughts swimming around in his head. Mimicking his husband he grabbed one of the throw-pillows and slammed it over his face and fought back the urge to scream into it. His limbs ached, his eyes ached, his heart ached.

He must have dozed because he startled badly when said pillow was lifted from his face, Sonny was standing by him looking sheepish and dressed in his messy, rumpled sweats and t-shirt. His eyes were red-rimmed and glassy and he looked as exhausted as Rafael felt, “Cariño…” Rafael began but Sonny simply laid down on top of him, situating himself against the back of the couch at Rafael’s side and pressed his face into the crook of Rafael’s neck and shoulder with a purposeful puff of air.

Rafael fell silent for a moment, running one hand up and down his husband’s back, the other threading through his shower-damp hair. He noticed for the first time there was quite a bit of grey peppered through his blonde strands, “I love you…” he said, kissing the top of his head more than once. “And I’ve always been proud of you. Today doesn’t change any of that, do you understand that? You don’t have to talk I just want you to hear that and know that. I will always be proud of you.”

Sonny snuffled but Rafael felt him nod slowly and squeeze with more emphasis and exhale in obvious exhaustion. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just…” he made a soft growl, “I still look up to you…you know that?”

Rafael refrained from rolling his eyes, “Sweetheart, don’t make me repeat myself. You were amazing today. I’m so proud of you.” He said again and waited for the yelling, the retaliation.

Sonny interrupted him with a rough exhale and pushed up further on his chest and captured his lips earning him a squeak, effectively halting anymore words. For a few beautiful minutes they kissed in peace and bliss before Sonny spoke. “I know. And if you didn’t know it I’m proud of you too.”

Rafael managed a small smile and brushed the hair away from his husband’s forehead, stroking his cheek and running one thumb over his spit-slick bottom lip. “I know.” he pulled him back to his chest, holding him tight and tucking him once more to his side.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave reviews! Or prompts!


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